BPS Jumpin Frisco Fastest to Heritage Place Derby

Homebred gelding looks for a big win in Heritage Place Derby.

Bill Price’s homebred BPS Jumpin Frisco is positioned for his most important win to date as the fastest qualifier to the $247,800 Heritage Place Derby (G2) on Saturday night at Remington Park.

BPS Jumpin Frisco (Jumpn-Frisco Fling by Dash For Cash) raced to his first win in the Heritage Place Derby trials since he won a conditioned allowance race last summer. His time of :19.480 for 400 yards was the quickest mark from four trials.

One of three Heritage Place Derby finalists from the Eddie D. Willis barn, BPS Jumpin Frisco began his Remington Park season with a close second in the Mr Jet Moore Handicap and then raced to a third-place finish in the $246,000 Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Derby (R) in his start before his Heritage Place Derby trial.

BPS Jumpn Frisco gained national notice in December when trainer Jaime Gomez sent him out to a troubled fifth-place run in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1).

Sammy Valeriano’s Jess Lips (Mr Jess Perry-Loose Lips by First Down Dash) also possesses a Grade 1 record from Los Alamitos. Racing for Gomez, he nearly pulled off an 11-1 upset in the Golden State Million Futurity (G1) when he made a late run to finish a neck behind Igotyourtac.

Jess Lips returned from a five-month layoff in the Willis barn at Remington Park. He easily won a maiden race and then scored in his Heritage Place Derby trial by a nose with the third-fastest time of :19.645.

Ed Melzer’s Priceless Feature (Feature Mr Jess-Southern Price by Corona Cartel) is the third Willis entrant. He was a close second in the $75,000 All American Juvenile (R) last summer and won his Heritage Place Derby trial by a nose, with the fifth-fastest time of :19.708.

Denis Winn’s Paint Me Quickid (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Rustys Quickid by Royal Quick Dash), trained by Judd Kearl, was second behind BPS Jumpin Frisco in their trial with the second-fastest qualifying time of :19.630. He qualified for last year’s Heritage Place Futurity and has finished in the top-two runners in five of 10 starts.